Waterford man dies after shoveling heavy snow

Several inches of snow fell Thursday night into Friday morning, making the morning commute slow and treacherous, closing hundreds of schools in the county and claiming the life of a Waterford man who died shoveling his driveway.

Waterford Regional Fire Department officials said a man was taken to the hospital after shoveling snow.

The call came around 9 a.m. Friday, said Fire Capt. John Lyman. The Waterford man was working on his driveway on Quail Ridge Court near Williams Lake Road.

First responders said he was laying in the driveway, suffering from cardiac arrest.

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According to Medical Examiner's Office investigators, the man died at Huron Valley Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township.

The heaviest snow fell in North Oakland County. InfoMI.com reports that Davisburg had a total of 7 inches, Clarkston had 5.9 inches, and Lake Orion had 4.3 inches. WXYZ is reporting Ortonville received 6.5 inches.

Communities in southern and middle Oakland County received anywhere from 3 to 5 inches, said Matt Mosteiko, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in White Lake.

The seasonal snow total in Oakland County is 32.8 inches. In Detroit, the snow total for the year is currently at 28 inches -- 2.8 inches above normal.

Snow emergencies were declared in most cities including Royal Oak, Clawson, Ferndale, Troy, Berkley, Huntington Woods and Madison Heights -- meaning drivers needed to move parked cars out of the streets.

Today is expected to be sunny, with temperatures around 26 degrees.

On Sunday, there will be an increase in clouds, and a chance for precipitation Sunday night and Monday. There will be a warmer system for Sunday night, so precipitation will be rain.

Monday the rain could change into a rain and snow mix, and Tuesday there is a chance of snow showers.

Contact Megan Semeraz at 248-745-4628 or email Megan.Semeraz@oakpress.com or follow her on Twitter @MeganSemeraz. Staff Writer John Turk contributed to this report.